Historically, the connection between an operating rod (i.e., an activating member) and the selector, or shift, lever (i.e., the actuated member) of a transmission has required the use of one or more loose parts such as pins, washers, cotter keys, E clips, nuts, bolts, screws or other such devices that are, for the most part, installed with hand tools. Moreover, the physical location of such connections is not always visually accessible and is often located in an environment which precludes physical accessibility by both of the assembler's hands - - - or even by one hand and a hand tool.
The operating rod may be the last structural element in a mechanical linkage system, which operatively joins a remote input, or operator controlling, device to an output, or controlled, device. Mechanical linkage systems may include a widely known variety of cables and/or other mechanisms that convert between linear and rotary motions and which are customarily used in automotive, truck, aircraft, recreational and marine environments. These motion transferring mechanisms are often necessary because the most desired location from which to operate the controlled output device is often not adjacent thereto but rather from a remotely located operator controlling, or input, device.
Motion transmitting arrangements that typically operate in a pushing and/or pulling manner have been employed for years as cable controls for automatic transmissions, parking brakes, clutches, cruise control devices and shifting devices where such assemblies are not only remote from the operator controlling device but also separated such that the interconnection therebetween must follow a nonlinear path.
Known motion transmitting arrangements utilize one or more cables that are axially movable in a pushing or pulling manner for operatively connecting the remote operator controlling device to an arm, or similar lever mechanism, that adjusts, shifts, or otherwise acts on the remote controlled device. One example that exemplifies a typical installation comprises the operation of a transmission assembly where the motion transmitting arrangement is attached to an operator controlling device in the nature of a gear selecting device at one end of a motion transmitting arrangement, and a lever arm in the nature of a gear actuating member presented from the transmission shifting mechanism at the other end. A second example would be a carburetor, or throttle, assembly where a motion transmitting arrangement is attached to an operator controlling device in the nature of an accelerator at one end thereof and is attached to the throttle mechanism, such as a carburetor, at the other end.
A flexible force transmitting mechanism such as a core that is either pushed or pulled within a tubular casing is often employed to effect the desired interconnection between an operator controlling device and a remotely located controlled device. The core of such a force transmitting mechanism is capable of effecting mechanical motion in either direction when at least the ends of the cable casing are satisfactorily clamped in position. Typically, the ends of such casings are secured in a fixed location by a clamping device held in place by a plurality of nuts and bolts (or screws) and lock washers. Each end of the core within the casing is connected to an operating, or end, rod. The other end of one operating rod is connected to the operator controlling input device, and this is normally effected by a fixedly positioned nut and bolt connection. The other end of the second operating rod is connected to the controlled output device, as by a clevis that is selectively positionable along the second operating rod and secured in the desired location by a lock nut. In turn, the clevis is secured to the lever arm on the controlled output device by a well known pin, washer and cotter pin arrangement.
The aforesaid historic arrangements for securing a flexible force transmitting cable core to the operator controlling input device and to the controlled output device has, more recently, been replaced by "snap on snap-off" connectors. Such connectors utilized to date in the automotive industry, for example, have required virtually as much force to snap on as to snap off. In fact, the best known prior art connector acceptable to the automotive industry required 85 Newtons to effect a snap on and 90 Newtons to effect a snap off. Other industry standards require that the connector withstand 50,000 cycles under loads of 90 Newtons in a tension/compression testing. Moreover, the connector must also withstand a minimum of 450 Newtons before separation of the terminal end fitting from the end rod occurs.
Industries using the push/pull force transmitting control cables have not been able to achieve a desired, significantly lower snap on force while maintaining the required minimum snap off force. In addition, the best known prior art arrangements have been limited to three snap on and snap off cycles. It must also be appreciated that the structural differences from installation to installation virtually assures that it will seldom occur that the axis of the end rod can be precisely aligned perpendicularly with respect to the rotational axis of the operating lever on the controlled output device. As is well known to those skilled in the appropriate arts, the prior known terminal end fittings often do not provide the desired ease of operation when subjected to such misalignment.